The Ogden Museum of Southern Art

The front of the Ogden Museum. Photo courtesy of GlennetteClark via Flickr.

Though its name might sound funny, the Ogden Museum of Southern Art is a prestigious museum venerated throughout the South for its truly impressive array of Southern art – the largest collection of southern art in the world, in fact. Located on 925 Camp, just next to the famous Lee Circle in the Central Business District Downtown, the Ogden Museum of Southern Art is dedicated to educating and entertaining the public, all the while doing its best to preserve and foster southern art. If you’re in New Orleans, you shouldn’t pass up the opportunity to see it.

With five floors of permanent and visiting exhibits, the Ogden Museum is a great bang for your buck at only a $10 entry fee. Exhibits like PhotoNOLA and Shelby Lee Adams: Salt & Truth, you can expect an interesting and diverse glimpse into the cultures of the south. Consider it a crash course in the various demographics of the south, or simply a sweet walk through the traditions, hopes, dreams and desires of an often misunderstood and underrepresented group of Americans.

An additional bonus of the museum and something that keeps people coming back week after week is the Thursday Ogden After Hours. A popular date night event, the event features a weekly band which typically play two sets, and have a Q&A with the audience in-between. Food and drinks are served for a price, and there’s a rooftop patio that gives you a nice break from the loud and busy room, while offering terrific views of the skyline.